The Four Temperaments

Everyone has two temperaments.  Pick your most dominant temperament from the list below and then pick the one you think describes you secondly. No one is 100% one.  Sometimes it helps to get someone else to help you decide.  Sometimes we don't see ourselves as clearly as others see us.


SANGUINE
Strengths: Outgoing, Responsive, Warm & Friendly, Talkative, Enthusiastic, Compassionate.

Weaknesses: Undisciplined, Emotionally Stable, Unproductive, Egocentric, Exaggerates.

CHOLERIC
Strengths: Strong-willed, Independent, Visionary, Practical, Productive, Decisive, Leader.

Weaknesses: Cold, Unemotional, Self-Sufficient, Impetuous, Domineering, Unforgiving, Sarcastic, Angry, Cruel

MELANCHOLY
Strengths: Gifted, Analytical, Aesthetic, Self Sacrificing, Industrious, Self Disciplined

Weaknesses: Moody, Self-Centered, Persecution-prone, Revengeful, Touchy, The Oretical, Unsociable, Critical, Negative

PHLEGMATIC
Strengths: Calm, Quiet, Easy Going, Dependable, Objective, Diplomatic, Efficient, Organized, Practical, Humorous

Weaknesses: Unmotivated, Procrastinator, Selfish, Stingy, Self-protective, Indecisive, Fearful, Worrier

Please read the complete book of temperaments by purchasing the books...
Transformed Temperaments by Tim LaHaye
Spirit-Controlled Temperament by Tim LaHaye
How To Develop Your Child's Temperament by Beverly LaHaye

ChlorPhleg

I've studied and read the books listed above and I've come to find that I am the following temperaments:  CHLORPHLEG (Choleric-Phlegmatic)

CHOLERIC
Strengths:  Strong-willed, Independent, Visionary, Practical, Productive, Decisive, Leader
Weaknesses:  Cold& Unemotional, Self-Sufficient, Impetuous, Domineering, Unforgiving, Sarcastic, Angry, Cruel.

THE CHLORPHLEG (Choleric-Phlegmatic)

Capabilities:
The most subdued of all the extrovert temperaments is the ChlorPhleg.

A happy blend of the quick, active, and hot with the calm, cool, and unexcited. He is not as apt to rush into things as quickly as the preceding extrovets because he is more deliberate and subdued.

He is extremely capable in the long run, although he does not particularly impress you that way at first.

He is a very organized person who combines planning and hard work. People usually enjoy working with and for him because he knows where he is going and has charted his course, yet is not unduly severe with people.

He has the best ability to help others make the best use of their skills and rarely offends people or makes them feel used.

The ChlorPhleg’s slogan on organization states: “Anything that needs to be done can be done better if it’s organized.”

These men are usually good husbands and fathers as well as excellent administrators in almost any field.


Weaknesses:
Although not as addicted to the quick anger of some temperaments, he is known to harbor resentment and bitterness.

Some of the cutting edge of the choleric’s sarcasm is here offset by the gracious spirit of the phlegmatic; so instead of uttering cutting and cruel remarks, his barbs are more apt to emerge as cleverly disguised humor.

One is never quite sure whether he is kidding or ridiculing, depending on his mood.

No one can be more bullheadedly stubborn than a ChlorPhleg, and it is very difficult for him to change his mind once it is committed.

Repentance or the acknowledgement of a mistake is not at all easy for him. Consequently, he will be more apt to make it up to those he has wronged without really facing his mistake.

The worrisome traits of the phlegmatic side of his nature may so curtail his adventurous tendencies that he never quite measures up to his capabilities.

Please read the complete book of temperaments by purchasing the book...The Transformed Temperaments by Tim LaHaye

Titus

Titus, the spiritual son of the Apostle Paul and leader of the hundred or so churches on the Isle of Crete, may well have been a ChlorPhleg. When filled with the Spirit, he was the kind of man on whom Paul could depend to faithfully teach the Word to the churches and administrate them capably for the glory of God. The book which Paul wrote to him makes ideal reading for any teacher, particularly a ChlorPhleg.

Please read the complete book of temperaments by purchasing the book...Transformed Temperaments by Tim LaHaye

Temperament Difficulties In Finding God's Will

Life is the net result of the choices you’ve made. Are you following God or your natural temperament tendencies? If your major life choices have been made on the basis of the natural temperament, your life is probably fouled up. Or like many Christians, you may have followed a little of both –which means you are confronted with doing God’s acceptable or good will.

The following analysis will show you the dangers of each temperament. Try to find your predominant temperament in this description.


Cholerics at Decision Time

As soon as Cholerics become Christians, they face a difficult problem: learning to walk in obedience to God’s road map, the Bible. Frankly, strong-willed Cholerics prefer self-reliance to submissive obedience. In the paraphrased words of the prophet, they need to learn to live not by Choleric might and not by Choleric power –but by God’s Spirit.

Although Cholerics are practical and decisive by nature, they need to seek the Lord’s leading instead of depending too much on their common sense. They tell me, “I call on God only for the big decisions of life, but I’m capable of making the routine choices by myself.” Unfortunately, they interpret big decisions as whether the United States should withdraw from the United Nations or if this country should go to war with the enemy –courses of action in which they can contribute nothing directly. In other words, they rarely consult nothing directly. In other words, they rarely consult God for His leading regarding the direction of their own lives but lean on their own understanding.

Another difficutly relates to Choleric’s strong tendency to be independent and self- sufficient. Consequently they seldom ask the advice of friends. Having great confidence in their own ability to make proper choices, they rarely ask others who are in a position to be more objective.

When trouble arises, Cholerics tend to lower their heads and bulldoze their way through it. Consequently instead of recognizing when they have made a mistake and changing course, they plow straight ahead, relying on brute force and durability rather than divine guidance. More than any other temperament, Cholerics will force the square peg into a round hole and then expect God to bless their success.

Unfortunately, Cholerics often enjoy working for God more than spending time with Him. They need to learn to “delight (themselves) in the Lord” (Ps. 37:4). However, if Cholerics learn to submit their wills to God, He can use them powerfully. He can turn their goal-oriented drive into a useful tool for building His kingdom. When their wills are submitted to God, their tenacity and energy become positive forces.

Cholerics need to trust in the Lord, not in their own understanding. Like the Sanguines, they must use times of decision making to read and study the Bible, pray and seek God’s leading, consciously surrendering their will to Him. Cholerics can accomplish great things for God if they will follow His plan instead of their own, recognizing the principle, “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it” (Ps 127:1a).


Phlegmatics at Decision Time

The practical side of the quiet, gentle Phlegmatic tends to simplify the decision process of life. But once they know God’s will, they often lack the faith to step out and do it. They may be blessed with an objectivity about others’ problems and be able to render good advice to friends, but an obsessive self-protection and hesitancy to get involved makes them vacillate and worry about consequences almost as much as the Melancholics do. When Phlegmatics examine what’s involved and how God’s purposes will affect them, they lose their objectivity.

It always pains me to remind Phlegmatics that they tend to be selfish people –selfish about giving their love, themselves, their possessions, and their service. Thus every decision to take action is shrouded in the complexity of resistance. Because they tend to be stubborn, the more stubborn tries to push them, the more they resist. Consequently, they may reject the advice of well-meaning friends.

Phlegmatics will never openly rebel at God’s will, but they will refuse to act on it. Unless they’re deeply surrendered to doing His will –no matter what the cost –they will decline a positive response more diplomatically than any other temperament.

Phlegmatices’ preoccupation with self-protection hinders them from making many decisions. As pastor of a church for many years, I found that a public display of spiritual decisions was difficult for Phlegmatics. Many attended our church for a long time and were confident it was the place God wanted the family members would they take the public steps necessary to become a member.

Phlegmatics need to examine their motives whenever making a decision. If the road signs match up, yet they hesitate, they need to ask, “Am I resisting because I’m afraid of the consequences, or am I protecting myself rather than serving God?” They need to throw off the shell of self-protection, abandon themselves to the will of God, and pray, “Lord, what do you want me to do?” He hasn’t saved any of us to be potted plants but tools in His hand for reaching others.

Please read the complete book of temperaments by purchasing the book...Transformed Temperaments by Tim LaHaye

Temperaments Can Be Changed!

The Apostle Paul put into words the heart-cry of despair felt by every sincere individual who laments his weaknesses of temperament: “Oh, wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death!” (Romans 7:24) His answer is electrifying, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Yes, temperament can be changed! This is clearly seen from II Corinthians 5:17 where Paul wrote: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Since temperament is our “old nature,” what man needs is a “new nature.” That “new nature” is imparted to man when he receives Jesus Christ into his life. The Apostle Peter could speak on this subject from personal experience, for his temperament was vastly changed by receiving the “new nature.” In II Peter 1:4 he refers to those who have been “born again” by faith in Jesus Christ as having become”… partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” The “divine nature” which comes through Jesus Christ is the only escape from the control of our natural temperament, for only through Him are we made “new creatures.”

There have been unusually self-controlled individuals who have changed part of their temperament and most of their conduct, but they have not cured all of their weaknesses. Even they have had their besetting sins. Satan knows our major temperament weaknesses, and you can be sure he will use his power to defeat us. His greatest delight in regard to Christians is to see them defeated by their own weaknesses. The victory, however, is available through Jesus Christ whose Spirit can make all things new in the believer’s life.

Admittedly, all Christians do not experience this transforming power. Just ask a convert’s husband or wife, or in some cases, children! In fact, I’m sorry to have to admit that the majority of Christians do not see a complete transformation of their temperament. The reason is abundantly clear: the Christian has not remained in an “abiding” relationship with Jesus Christ. (See John 15:1-14) But that does not change the fact that the moment the individual received Jesus Christ, he received the “new nature” which is able to cause “old things to pass away and all things to become new.” We shall see that the filling of the Holy Spirit is not only commanded by God for every Christian (Ephesians 5:18), but this filling results in the Holy Spirit so controlling a man’s nature that he actually lives the life of Christ.

Please read the complete book of temperaments by purchasing the book...The Spirit-Controlled Temperament by Tim LaHaye

Your Born With It!

“Why is it that I can’t control myself? I know what’s right and wrong –I just don’t seem to be able to do it!” This frustrated plea came from a fine young businessman who had come to me for counseling. Its not the first time we here this complaint in one form or another; in fact, it is a very common experience.

The Apostle Paul no doubt felt that same way when he said, “…for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.” (Romans 7:18-20)

Paul differentiated between himself and that uncontrollable force within by saying, “It is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.” The “I” is Paul’s person, the soul, will, and mind of man. The “sin” that dwelleth in him was the natural weaknesses that he, like all human beings, inherited from his parents.

We have all inherited a basic temperament from our parents that contains both strengths and weaknesses. This temperament is called several things in the Bible, “the natural man,” “the flesh,” “the old man,” and “corruptible flesh,” to name a few. It is the basic impulse of our being that seeks to satisfy our wants. To properly understand its control of our actions and reactions we should distinguish carefully between temperament, character, and personality by defining them.

Temperament
Temperament is the combination of inborn traits that subconsciously affects man’s behavior. These traits are arranged genetically on the basis of nationality, race, sex and other hereditary factors. The alignment of temperament traits is just as unpredictable as the color of eyes, hair, or size of body.

Character
Character is the real you. The Bible refers to it as “the hidden man of the heart.” It is the result of your natural temperament modified by childhood training, education, and basic attitudes, beliefs, principles, and motivations. It is sometimes referred to as “the soul” of man, which is made up of the mind, emotions, and will.

Personality
Personality is the outward expression of ourselves, which may or may not be the same as our character, depending on how genuine we are. Often personality is a pleasing façade for an unpleasant or weak character. Many are acting a part today on the basis of what they think a person should be, rather than what they really are. This is a formula for mental and spiritual chaos. It is caused by following the human formula for acceptable conduct. The Bible tells us, “Man looketh on the outward appearance, and God looketh on the heart,” and “Out of the heart proceed the issues of life.” The place to change behavior is inside man, not outside.

Temperament traits, whether controlled or uncontrolled, last throughout life. The older we get, however, the softer and more mellow our harsh and hard traits tend to become. Man learns that if he is to live at peace with his fellow man, it is best to emphasize his natural strengths and subdue his weaknesses. Many are successful in developing their character and improving their personality, but comparatively few are able to change their temperament. Yet –it is possible.

Please read the complete book of temperaments by purchasing the book...The Spirit-Controlled Temperament by Tim LaHaye